The Rules of Engagement
by zealousfreak27
Summary: In which Mihawk strives to better understand the Pirate Empress in the only way he knows how. (Or, Luffy couldn't possibly have been the first decent man Hancock ever met.) (Pre-canon, giftfic, re-up)


**AN/ I wrote this fic for my friend Star as part of her Christmas present! She really likes this pairing. I wasn't so sure at first but now I ship it. Funny how these things work. **

**Had some issues with the first version of this story I put up, and ffnet wasn't fixing them, so I just started over with a reupload. **

**I'm very pleased with how this turned out. Planning to write more shipping one shots in the future :) How you all enjoy!**

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><p>Mihawk has an appreciation for the high things in life. Unlike many of his unsophisticated peers, he partakes only in the finest of wines and never allows his conversation to become clouded with vulgarities. Naturally, his taste extends to beautiful women, especially in the context of art. Even so, his attraction to the female Shichibukai troubles him.<p>

Yes, the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock. He admits she is exquisite without shame, for empirically, she embodies womanly grace. She's a force to be reckoned with, a master of combat and user of Haki, which of course he would expect of a fellow Shichibukai. The issue lies in her weaponization of sexuality, which she takes quite a bit farther than even the most skillful of female assassins. He is a reserved individual as is, but around her, he stays on guard at all times. It would be foolish arrogance to deny his weakness to the Empress and her cerulean eyes.

None of the Warlords are what he would term social, except for Doflamingo in his own revolting manner. Mihawk prefers the life of a lone wolf, content with the friends he has, and thus has never made any attempt to reach out to Hancock. But he takes notice of her, not just her looks but her habits. The swordsman in him recognizes the strength of her posture, as though she were a snake, coiled and ready to strike. While he would like to leave any thoughts on her at this level of professionalism, he must admit he's concerned at her hyper-vigilance. While she does her best to come across as aloof and untouchable, she's remarkably paranoid.

Taking that into consideration, he's not surprised by her confrontation after a routine meeting of the Shichibukai.

"Did you think your staring would escape my notice, Hawk Eyes?" she demands, the non sequitur causing several of the marines standing watch to gulp. Several of the Shichibukai have, in the past, broken into cataclysmic fights, so their nerves are warranted.

Mihawk could choose to take her question as a challenge, but he sees no reason to do so. Besides, he rather likes the garden he's standing in - it gives personality to an otherwise lifeless Marine Base, the destruction of which would be disgraceful. "I hope that it did not, Snake Princess."

She arches an eyebrow. "And what do you mean by such an breach of my person?"

The ludicrous nature of her questions must be apparent to her - he does not accept her vapid self-obsession as anything more than a mask. "I mean to learn more of a fellow Shichibukai."

Her face lights up as though they _had_ decided to duel and he'd just committed a fatal error. "So you deny my beauty. How very like a man, to be distracted by his base instincts only to scramble to conceal his true motives."

Mihawk considers quitting this conversation before it escalates further, but he finds himself enjoying this verbal sparring. "No living creature could possibly be stupid enough to contest your beauty."

She scowls, although he notes a slight reddening across her cheeks. "Now you show your true colors, _man_."

This would be the time in a fight when he draws his smallest knife for driving in an edge of humiliation. "I thought you were disgusted by my dissembling. It's almost as if you have no real qualms with me personally, yet wish to provoke me and paint yourself the victim all in one stroke."

A flicker of doubt dances across her face, but she parries gracefully as ever. "Perhaps," she feints, face going lax. "But you forgive me, right? Because I am... beautiful." And, with her face in a delicate pout, she is.

After a moment of silence, Mihawk begins to _laugh_. Whatever ground he had managed to gain with the Empress he loses as she breaks into a scowl, but he can't help it. His grim mirth is mostly at his own expense, for he recognizes now the depth of his own interest in her. He sees her as so much more than a gorgeous woman on a pedestal or an arrogant harlot, and she has no idea. To her, he's just one more man, eyes always wandering, hands always grasping, words always cruel.

Her indignant cry of "And now you dare mock me!" reminds him that she remains on the offensive. Despite his somewhat confused feelings and unsettling empathy for her, he must maintain his fighting stance. It would not do for the news to get out that Hawk Eyes loses his touch in the presence of an arresting woman.

"You'll have to forgive me; I was merely contemplating what one as fierce as you could be so afraid of." From the look on her face, he thinks that may very well have been the finishing blow.

He had underestimated her, for she returns his hit with equal force. "I am not so much a coward as a man who hides behind polite words and smug smiles in order to treat me as a child!"

In the wake of her outburst, she looks pale, and he wonders if she's revealed more than she meant to with her lunge. With a sigh, Mihawk knows what he must do - a retreat is not shame to a swordsman if he keeps his front to them at all times and remains ready to advance. "I must beg your forgiveness, my lady, I intended no disrespect." He wants to assure Hancock of his regard for her, but he thinks his sentiment would be better conveyed with action.

A daffodil perched on the edge of a flowerbed catches his eye and he moves to pluck it, aware of her watchful gaze. When he returns, she accepts it without protest, face unreadable.

"Take this as a token of my sincerity."

She gages him with her eyes for several long moments, and he stays _en guarde_. Finally, she jolts away from their engagment, blushing as if she had only just noticed how long their hands were joined. "I'll accept your apology for now, Hawk Eye, but don't expect things to go so well for you ever again. I don't take kindly to the powers games of men."

He smiles ever so slightly at her retreating form. "I prefer to think of it as a duel."

She smirks over her shoulder at him. "Call it what you will. I have no time for semantics."

He shakes his head, a strange feeling of fondness welling within him. "You're a bewildering woman, Boa Hancock."

"And you're a foolish man, Mihawk."

"I won't deny that."

As he watches her saunter towards her ship, sisters and awestruck marines in tow, he finds he doesn't know who gained victory that day. All he knows is that he looks forward to rematches in the future.

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><p><strong>AN Daffodils for chivarly. I had fun with all sorts of fencing terms too.**

**Hope my characterizations were alright. Mihawk was easy 'cause I just see him as a Victorian gentleman type. The dialogue was ever so fun** **to write! I love banter.**


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